Bioware Working on a New IP

Bioware's Casey Hudson has revealed that he and others within the company are developing a new franchise.

Between its work on franchises like Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and Star Wars: The Old Republic, Bioware's various studios have been kept fairly busy the past few years. The future doesn't look like it will be offering any respite; a new Dragon Age and Mass Effect, as well as updates to The Old Republic, are already in the works. Even so, the developer is still finding time to come up with some new ideas. During a panel at PAX East, Casey Hudson, director of the Mass Effect games, revealed that Bioware is currently in the process of creating a new franchise.

According to Hudson, he and his team at Bioware Edmonton, the studio that made Mass Effect, are working with Preston Watamaniuk, Bioware's Senior Creative Director, to develop the new property. Outside of those bare details, Hudson and Bioware have offered no other hints as to what the new game will be. Hudson did confirm, however, that this new IP would not be interfering with his work overseeing the development of the next Mass Effect game, which is being made by Bioware Montreal.

A new intellectual property could be just what the developer needs. Many of its present franchises have found themselves, in recent years, mired in troubles. Dragon Age 2 sold well but received mix reviews, while Mass Effect 3 came to be defined by one of the largest fan outrages in the history of videogames. Add in the persistent under performance of Star Wars: The Old Republic, and it might be safe to say that Bioware's franchises are in a slightly more tenuous place than the company might like. A fresh IP could give Bioware a chance to move away recent controversies in a way that a sequel, bogged down by standing impressions, couldn't.

They aren't going to bog down their existing, ongoing fantasy/scifi series with direct competition, which leaves just a few genre-standard (if uncommon) themes for them to explore. And given their penchant for world building, I'd guess they'll go for one of the above.

"Good. Bioware need a new IP to work on, as the ones they have right now have too much fan expectation. Something they can start from scratch is the best way to go to make people happy."

My second thought, once I started reading the article was:

"Oh. Casey Hudson is working on it."

I can only hope that Casey gets sidetracked on this project and allows Bioware Montreal to work without him... you know, so the next ME might actually be good XP

That might be good, but in all honesty, it might be even better were the next ME to distract Hudson's attention from this new IP, so it could get off the ground and be good, whereas whatever happens next with ME will inevitably carry with it the spectre of the ME3 finale - the worst Hudson can do there is kill once and for all what many assume is FUBAR.

I am looking MUCH more forward to a new BioWare IP than a continuation of their existing stuff, because BioWare always shines when it comes to establishing new IP. Yes, ME2 improved on ME1 in many, many ways, but it was still Mass Effect, and its strengths came from the solid, engaging foundation that the first game laid down. Dragon Age: Origins also laid down a solid foundation, it was just left by the roadside and ignored for no apparent reason. With any luck, a new IP will be both fresh, and give BioWare a chance to get away from their past mistakes.

And, on the cynical side, a new IP will confirm for many, once and for all, if BioWare is still possessed of the style and creative flair which has let it put out these fantastic games, or if it's just the Hannibal Lecter of EA wearing BioWare's mangled face. And then, regardless of which way that goes, with any luck we'll stop hearing about it quite so much.

Anyone else just kind of shrug at this? Anyone else just kind of tired of Bioware/EA?

I am getting sick unto death of news and press releases by these guys. All the market'ing in the world is not going to inspire confidence or win back goodwill and loyalty from fans of gaming past. Only good games will do that. So, shush up, get out from under the spot light, work quietly but passionately for a few years, come back with stuff that will blow our socks off.

If it is great, I will play it. But I have no faith at the moment that it will be great.

Well at least EA is willing to try new and different settings for their microtransactions, online passes, and DRM.

I don't know why people keep referring to Bioware as a separate entity from EA though. It's like saying your hand is separate from the rest of you. EA = Bioware just like EA = DICE and EA = Visceral Games. Just different names for hands feet and torso.

Is there something wrong with that?He also worked on BG2, SW:KotR, NWN and ME1 and those were good the last time I checked... (I'm pretty indifferent towards Jade Empire)

I am not suggesting that everything he works on is going to be bad, just that I find it slightly difficult to feel excited about the person writing the ending to ME3 being in a leading role of a game.

He is not incapable, but I think it is more relevant to judge people on their more recent work, when it comes to anticipating their next.

That's not to say that I am foolish enough to write it off before it's even started. The problems with Mass Effect 3 were largely due to writing themselves into a corner, so that they'd never be able to please everybody. They more or less said this after ME2 was released.

So they have three franchises that are having significant troubles likely brought about by spreading their limited resources far too thin. The obvious logical conclusion to draw from that is to start a fourth IP. Brilliant...

Yeah, I'm no longer interested in anything Bioware does. Good luck to them and anyone who still looks forward to their new games with great expectations, but to me they've clearly gone from the best dev in the business to an illustration of everything that is wrong with the industry.

"Good. Bioware need a new IP to work on, as the ones they have right now have too much fan expectation. Something they can start from scratch is the best way to go to make people happy."

My second thought, once I started reading the article was:

"Oh. Casey Hudson is working on it."

Yea..... that was my viewpoint. The fact that all accounts point to him being the sole hand behind the ME3 ending and the public announcements that were later shown to be lies that caused so much trouble over an otherwise very good game makes anything he works on crippled from the gate in my eyes.

When I read the title, I was glad. Bioware may not be what it was but despite the mess that was DA2 I did enjoy (most) of ME3. However after reading that Casey Hudson is envolved I will not touch this with a 100 mile pole. I have no faith in this man.

"Good. Bioware need a new IP to work on, as the ones they have right now have too much fan expectation. Something they can start from scratch is the best way to go to make people happy."

My second thought, once I started reading the article was:

"Oh. Casey Hudson is working on it."

All things considered, this may be the chance for Bioware to gain back some lost fans. As long as this project isn't rushed out the door, and has more focus than the last few (rather than trying to please absolutely everybody), they may be able to make something really good.

Bioware's Casey Hudson has revealed that he and others within the company are developing a new franchise.

Between its work on franchises like Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and Star Wars: The Old Republic, Bioware's various studios have been kept fairly busy the past few years. The future doesn't look like it will be offering any respite; a new Dragon Age and Mass Effect, as well as updates to The Old Republic, are already in the works. Even so, the developer is still finding time to come up with some new ideas. During a panel at PAX East, Casey Hudson, director of the Mass Effect games, revealed that Bioware is currently in the process of creating a new franchise.

According to Hudson, he and his team at Bioware Edmonton, the studio that made Mass Effect, are working with Preston Watamaniuk, Bioware's Senior Creative Director, to develop the new property. Outside of those bare details, Hudson and Bioware have offered no other hints as to what the new game will be. Hudson did confirm, however, that this new IP would not be interfering with his work overseeing the development of the next Mass Effect game, which is being made by Bioware Montreal.

A new intellectual property could be just what the developer needs. Many of its present franchises have found themselves, in recent years, mired in troubles. Dragon Age 2 sold well but received mix reviews, while Mass Effect 3 came to be defined by one of the largest fan outrages in the history of videogames. Add in the persistent under performance of Star Wars: The Old Republic, and it might be safe to say that Bioware's franchises are in a slightly more tenuous place than the company might like. A fresh IP could give Bioware a chance to move away recent controversies in a way that a sequel, bogged down by standing impressions, couldn't.